- Moderator
- #26
Re: Harley to retire today
Farewell Tom. A good time to go out on top and enjoy Sydney. Linga for captain!!!!!
Farewell Tom. A good time to go out on top and enjoy Sydney. Linga for captain!!!!!
-
AFLW 2024 - Round 4 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Toast Tom Harley Retires
- Thread starter G.F.C
- Start date
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Re: Harley to retire today
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tom Harley!!!
You will be remembered as one of the all time great leaders of ours or any other footy club.
Without your character, professionalism and leadership over the past 3 years we wouldn't have a single flag.
Luckily for us, your legacy will continue with your likely successors being exemplary young men as well.
Best of luck with whatever path you embark on.
(I vote Linger btw. He has been a leader since he got to GFC. Will do beautifully for 2 years until Joel is ready. Also Harry Taylor as a VC for mine.)
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tom Harley!!!
You will be remembered as one of the all time great leaders of ours or any other footy club.
Without your character, professionalism and leadership over the past 3 years we wouldn't have a single flag.
Luckily for us, your legacy will continue with your likely successors being exemplary young men as well.
Best of luck with whatever path you embark on.
(I vote Linger btw. He has been a leader since he got to GFC. Will do beautifully for 2 years until Joel is ready. Also Harry Taylor as a VC for mine.)
- Banned
- #29
Re: Harley to retire today
Thank you Tom Harley. Well done on a magnificent career. Thank you for not giving the game away when you were a Reserves player at Norwood when Choco cut you. Thank you for holding the defence together with Scarlo and Dasher in the dark times. Thank you for strength, and articulate leadership. Thank you for always putting the team first from the start to the very end.
Well done.
regards,
REB
Thank you Tom Harley. Well done on a magnificent career. Thank you for not giving the game away when you were a Reserves player at Norwood when Choco cut you. Thank you for holding the defence together with Scarlo and Dasher in the dark times. Thank you for strength, and articulate leadership. Thank you for always putting the team first from the start to the very end.
Well done.
regards,
REB
Pivo
Brownlow Medallist
Re: Harley to retire today
May as well echo the sentiments written by others already.
Well done on a terrific career. Forever grateful for what he has done for the club, a brilliant media speaker and a true club-man.
Tom Harley - a true leader of men.
May as well echo the sentiments written by others already.
Well done on a terrific career. Forever grateful for what he has done for the club, a brilliant media speaker and a true club-man.
Tom Harley - a true leader of men.
rizzo
Brownlow Medallist
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Re: Harley to retire today
Thank you for everything Tom. A star.
Thank you for everything Tom. A star.
Shell
Premium Platinum
Re: Harley to retire today
Welcome back!
And a massive congratulations to Tom Harley on an awesome career. He will be missed.
Welcome back!
And a massive congratulations to Tom Harley on an awesome career. He will be missed.
Pure_Ownage
TheBrownDog
Re: Harley to retire today
Even though I have expected this announcement ever since GF day, it's still sad. But all credit to Tom for knowing the right time to go...many a champion stays on too long.
As much as on field success matters, we are respected as a club thesedays also because of the culture we have, how we go about it, and how we respect our opponents and the public. There is no doubt Tom that much of this is down to your leadership, and thus we are so thankful for all that you have done for the club.
All the best for married life and whatever you choose to do up in Sydney
Even though I have expected this announcement ever since GF day, it's still sad. But all credit to Tom for knowing the right time to go...many a champion stays on too long.
As much as on field success matters, we are respected as a club thesedays also because of the culture we have, how we go about it, and how we respect our opponents and the public. There is no doubt Tom that much of this is down to your leadership, and thus we are so thankful for all that you have done for the club.
All the best for married life and whatever you choose to do up in Sydney
Re: Harley to retire today
Congratulations on a great career. As captain he has led our club to probably the three best years in it's history, and his name will now forever be remebered in club history.
It's just a shame that he won't be able to stay around the club in an off field role, as he would have plenty to offer. Our loss is Sydney's gain.
Congratulations on a great career. As captain he has led our club to probably the three best years in it's history, and his name will now forever be remebered in club history.
It's just a shame that he won't be able to stay around the club in an off field role, as he would have plenty to offer. Our loss is Sydney's gain.
- Banned
- #35
TOM HARLEY WALKS AWAY
Tom Harley has announced his retirement from AFL football today. From the first time he walked into Cat Park up to the very end, Tom was a player who put the team first. He walks away from football with nothing to prove and an indelible legacy to the Geelong Football Club as a dual premiership captain.
Tom Harley was a Norwood player who was in the reserves more often than not when Port coach Mark Williams decided to cull him from Port's list after one senior match. Tom Harley went on to play 197 games for the Cats to take his tally to 198 league games. In retrospect the delisting at Port was a blessing in disguise for Tom Harley. Had he remained at Port he might have only achieved the status of AFL fringe player who managed to rack up 200 games at Norwood. Instead he went to a new environment at Geelong and the player and the club have both prospered.
When Harley arrived at Geelong the Cats were not the formidable force that they are today. In 1999 the Cats started brightly enough with five straight wins but found themselves at 5-9 nine weeks later. In the following years Harley teamed with Matthew Scarlett and Darren Milburn in a backline that was continually under siege as the Blight era midfielders retired to be replaced by the current group who were still very much travelling with L plates. The tough years at Geelong forged the backline that has since delivered two flags to the club and despite the once in a lifetime status of Matthew Scarlett, Tommy Harley was very much the spiritual leader of first the defence, and then the club.
At the conclusion of the 2006 season which was a disaster for Geelong, the club decided to perform a major review of off and on field operations. Tom Harley was elected captain in a move that surprised many given Geelong's history of electing injury prone leaders who struggled to get on the park. Despite a body that was starting to struggle with the demands of league football, Harley led the club well on the field and was one of the more articulate and respected Captains in the league off it. In the later stages of Harley's career he was awarded a belated All Australian honour at a time when his signature play was zoning off his man and dropping in front of his team mates opponent. Tom Harley led the league in intercepting opposition kicks at this time. This selfless and courageous style of play typified what the Geelong Football Club saw in Tom Harley when it was time to draft a new plan. In a club that had struggled in the area of on field leadership Tom Harley provided it and then some in what has turned out to be arguably the club's greatest era.
Tom Harley was given the option of playing on another year to reach 200 league games. This was offered by Mark Thompson who knew full well what Tom's decision would be. Tom Harley walks away from league football a dual premiership captain with an All Australian to his name. With nothing more to prove, Tom Harley has once again put others first in his retirmement from league football.
Tom Harley, I salute you.
regards,
REB
Tom Harley has announced his retirement from AFL football today. From the first time he walked into Cat Park up to the very end, Tom was a player who put the team first. He walks away from football with nothing to prove and an indelible legacy to the Geelong Football Club as a dual premiership captain.
Tom Harley was a Norwood player who was in the reserves more often than not when Port coach Mark Williams decided to cull him from Port's list after one senior match. Tom Harley went on to play 197 games for the Cats to take his tally to 198 league games. In retrospect the delisting at Port was a blessing in disguise for Tom Harley. Had he remained at Port he might have only achieved the status of AFL fringe player who managed to rack up 200 games at Norwood. Instead he went to a new environment at Geelong and the player and the club have both prospered.
When Harley arrived at Geelong the Cats were not the formidable force that they are today. In 1999 the Cats started brightly enough with five straight wins but found themselves at 5-9 nine weeks later. In the following years Harley teamed with Matthew Scarlett and Darren Milburn in a backline that was continually under siege as the Blight era midfielders retired to be replaced by the current group who were still very much travelling with L plates. The tough years at Geelong forged the backline that has since delivered two flags to the club and despite the once in a lifetime status of Matthew Scarlett, Tommy Harley was very much the spiritual leader of first the defence, and then the club.
At the conclusion of the 2006 season which was a disaster for Geelong, the club decided to perform a major review of off and on field operations. Tom Harley was elected captain in a move that surprised many given Geelong's history of electing injury prone leaders who struggled to get on the park. Despite a body that was starting to struggle with the demands of league football, Harley led the club well on the field and was one of the more articulate and respected Captains in the league off it. In the later stages of Harley's career he was awarded a belated All Australian honour at a time when his signature play was zoning off his man and dropping in front of his team mates opponent. Tom Harley led the league in intercepting opposition kicks at this time. This selfless and courageous style of play typified what the Geelong Football Club saw in Tom Harley when it was time to draft a new plan. In a club that had struggled in the area of on field leadership Tom Harley provided it and then some in what has turned out to be arguably the club's greatest era.
Tom Harley was given the option of playing on another year to reach 200 league games. This was offered by Mark Thompson who knew full well what Tom's decision would be. Tom Harley walks away from league football a dual premiership captain with an All Australian to his name. With nothing more to prove, Tom Harley has once again put others first in his retirmement from league football.
Tom Harley, I salute you.
regards,
REB
Ninty
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Re: Harley to retire today
Thanks for the premierships Tommy! Had great success as captain.
Must suck to be stuck on 198 games, but he's gone out on top and made the right choice.
Thanks for the premierships Tommy! Had great success as captain.
Must suck to be stuck on 198 games, but he's gone out on top and made the right choice.
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Re: Harley to retire today
Sad but not unexpected. Sad to see him go but he has been one of our best Captains ever and has proven himself to be an outstanding leader and bloke. Good luck with your future Tom. You will be missed.
Sad but not unexpected. Sad to see him go but he has been one of our best Captains ever and has proven himself to be an outstanding leader and bloke. Good luck with your future Tom. You will be missed.
Pie eyed
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Good luck to him.
Very well spoken gentleman and an asset to your club.
Always liked his interviews.
Very well spoken gentleman and an asset to your club.
Always liked his interviews.
- Banned
- #39
Congratulations to Tom Harley on a very good career and as a true leader of men.
Professional in the way he went about everything, as well as a pretty affable guy from what I understand.
Kudos.
Professional in the way he went about everything, as well as a pretty affable guy from what I understand.
Kudos.
Ling Sting
All Australian
I remember when he first got the gig. Not many people backed him in.
Absolutely no doubt he was one of the major contributing factors in unifying the guys who frankly after 06 and early on in 07 were a rabble. They will now be remembered as a footy dynasty.
Hold your head high Tom! You are a gentleman, great clubman and one of the best readers of a footy in flight I've seen play.....I'm glad he was able to have a fairytale end to his career.
Absolutely no doubt he was one of the major contributing factors in unifying the guys who frankly after 06 and early on in 07 were a rabble. They will now be remembered as a footy dynasty.
Hold your head high Tom! You are a gentleman, great clubman and one of the best readers of a footy in flight I've seen play.....I'm glad he was able to have a fairytale end to his career.
True Blue Cat
Club Legend
It was expected and yet still i can't think of anything to say that quite sums up Tom.
STC
Norm Smith Medallist
Statistically one of the greatest skippers of all time. Injuries hassled him in his prime when he was one of the league's elite stoppers, but his 2008 season showed glimpses of his best, and was an inspirational leader throughout. Onya Tommy, congratulations on a great career, we'll miss ya!
Led by example all the way. Not just an awesome footballer - a natural leader of men. Well done on a great career T.Harley and best of luck for the future.
Tom Harley: thanks for the memories, you will be sorely missed at the club and have been a great leader. You brought the club 2 premierships and when the club looked to be in strife, you stood tall and proud. You led Geelong out of the dark and into superstardom, with your courage to back into packs and cut off the opposition attacks. Enjoy retirement in Sydney.
fpm84
Brownlow Medallist
Firstly what a great captain he was
Who is his logical replacement? Im guessing Drum is the perfect swap?
With Harley gone, Drum would seem the logical replacement. I'm sure he was picked up with the fact Harley would most likely retire in mind. I imagine Drum would be given first crack at the spot in the team and we'll see how he goes.
We also have a couple of other promising young backmen in Gillies and Laidler. An additional permanent spot in our back six will be up for grabs when Milburn retires at the end of next year.
Evan #29
Rookie
Congratulations on an awesome career Tommy.
What an inspiration you were to us cats supporters.
I loved the interview the he gave after the 2009 grand final win. Always the team man he said "he had a dirty day" but it didnt matter becasue it was all about the Geelong football club. Thing is if you go back through the game you can see the amount of times he dived head on for that ball all day and pushed it to advantage or took out a st kilda player. He wasnt beaten much that day.
COURAGEOUS.
Well done Tommy, two time premiership captain.
What an inspiration you were to us cats supporters.
I loved the interview the he gave after the 2009 grand final win. Always the team man he said "he had a dirty day" but it didnt matter becasue it was all about the Geelong football club. Thing is if you go back through the game you can see the amount of times he dived head on for that ball all day and pushed it to advantage or took out a st kilda player. He wasnt beaten much that day.
COURAGEOUS.
Well done Tommy, two time premiership captain.
A true Geelong legend more importantly than being a dual premiership captain he wa sa great team man and a true cat!
more importantly than being a dual premiership captain he wa sa great team man and a true cat!
- Banned
- #49
Great player, great skipper, great person. Tom is one of the much more down to earth guys in the AFL, anybody can see that.
Thank you for the memories Tom and good luck in your future endeavours.
Thank you for the memories Tom and good luck in your future endeavours.
Thanks for everything, Two-Time Tommy!!! You and your leadership turned alot of long suffering, eye-rolling "aw shit, another Grand Final to lose" Geelong fans into a wide litter of contented Cats.
Well done mate, and the best of luck for whatever you turn your hand to in the future!
Well done mate, and the best of luck for whatever you turn your hand to in the future!
